Cubs Quick Hits: Carl Edwards Jr. Had Highest Four-Seam Whiff/Swing Among Relievers in 2016

One look at the lanky frame of Carl Edwards Jr. and you would be hard-pressed to believe he had one of the best fastballs in the game. Yet, indeed, the Cubs reliever blew hitters away with an MLB-best (min. 400 pitches) 34.04 percent whiff/swing rate during his rookie year. That’s slightly better than even Aroldis Chapman’s 33.25 percent mark.

@DEvanAltman pic.twitter.com/ETftdgb4Gh

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) August 7, 2016

What makes his four-seamer so effective is the unique combination of cutting action and velocity. For instance, heaters released from Edwards Jr.’s spindly fingertips averaged 0.27 inches of horizontal movement at 95.8 MPH. Since 2007, only 1.3% of four-seamers have been thrown with more horizontal movement. Yikes.